Improvement in melodeons



2 Sheets--Sheet1.

A. PERROT.

Melndeons.

Patented May 5,1874.

FTW-FTI SS' 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

A. PERROT.

Melodeons. N0 150,608, Patented May 5,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

AUGUSTE PERROT, OF PHILADELPHA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MELODEONS.

Specification forming part ot Letters Patent No. 150,605, dat' d May 5,1874; application tiled March 4, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTE PERROT, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia and the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Melodeons 5 and I do hereby declare the followingto be a clear and exact description ofthe nature thereof, suilicient toenable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains tofully understand, make, and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings making part of this specitication, in which-Figure l is a top View of the interior of the device embodying myinvention, a portion of the key-board being broken away. Fig. 2 is a topview of the treadle. Fig. 3 is a side view ot' Fig. l with the additionofthe treadle. Fig. 4 is a front view of the upper portion of theinterior thereof, partly sectional.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts` in theseveral figures.

My invention relates to an instrument of the order of a melodeon moreespecially designed for teaching vocal music. It is important that theteacher should possess the qualiiieation of imparting to sounds theirexact intonation or pitch. Some teachers possess such qualification, butthey are not able to continue for any length of time the incessant useof their voices without injury to the vocal organs.

My invention consists in constructing a melodeon of form to be portable,whereby it may be carried bythe teacher to the place of tuition andemployed as a substitute for the voice, the instrument being soconstructed that it may be laid on a table, chair, or other convenientobject, and its bellows operated by hand or foot, on the right or leftside, as desired or necessary. It also consists in the construction ofthe treadle.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the case of the instrument,wit-hin which is contained the key-board, reeds, and bellows. Brepresents a rock-shaft, which extends lon gitudinally, and is journaledto the sides of the casev A. The ends of the rod B project beyond thesides of the case, so that to either end may be attached an operatingarm or lever, C, which is made detachable for such purpose. An arm, D,is secured to the rod B, and suitably connected to the bellows, so thatthe operation of the lever C will cause the operation of the belA lows,the wind passing to the reeds or reedchamber in any well-known manner. Ahook or other fastening, G, will be applied to the lever C forattachment of a chain or cord, ll, passing to the treadlc J, said chainor cord being readily adjustable relatively to varying heights of theplaces on which the instrument may be rested. The treadle J isconstructed of the two parts K L, jointed to each other. The part K isthe base, and will rest on the iioor. The part L has a portion of itsface at the rear thereof cut away to form a cavity, M, for reception ofthe heel portion of the human foot, and to the front portion isjointed aclevis, N, through which the toe portion of the foot will be introduced,and to which the cord or chain H will be attached. The keyboard Pconsists of a series of keys attached to a frame, R, which permits theproper operation of the keys, and which has an axial motion by means ofrod S, arranged above the pin-board T of vreeds and secured to saidboard or to the side of the case, said rod passing through the frame Ror eyes secured thereto. The case is ot' such dimensions laterally thatthe, keyboard may be shifted longitudinally. From the under side of theframe It there projects downwardly a pin, U, and in the pin-board Tthere are formed vertical openings V, whose distance apart is equal tothe width ot' one ofthe keys employed.

The operation is as follows: The instrument will be carried by theteacher to the vschool or place of service and laid on a table, chair,or otherwise most convenient. It the right side ofthe instrument isinconvenient ot access, the lever C is to be applied to the projectingend of the left side of the rock-shaft B, and the treadle Jcorrespondingly located. Should the left side of the instrument beinconvenient oi' access, the lever C and treadle J are to be arranged onthe right side of the instrument, so tha-t in either case the bellowsmaybe duly opA erated by hand or foot on the right or left, as required.rlhe treadle, owing to its portabil ity, will necessarily be made smalland narrow. Therefore, in order that the foot may have a proper holdtherein, the toe projects through the clevis and the heel portion restsin the rear cavity of the top piece of the treadle, so that ICI the footwill be doubly confined on the treadle. In casc the pitch of theinstrumentis to be va ried, the key-board must be moved on the rod S asan axis, so that the pin V will elear the openings lV, whereby the boardmay be moved the desired number of semitones, and after this isdetermined, the pin V drops into the proper opening` of the series ofopenings XV, so that the board is again firmly held and the performanceof the instrument may be accomplished the same as in ordinary melodeons.

The characters of vocal music, do, re, &c., may be marked on the keys toassist beginners in acquiring` knowledge of such characters.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the bellows, of the rock-shaft B, With itsprojecting ends, and the removable arm or lever C, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The treadle J, consisting` of the base l( and the hinged part L, withthe clevis N and cavity M, when constructed and arranged substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

AUG. PERROT.

XYitnesses JOHN A. Wmnnnsrrnm, ALBERT H. HOEGKLEY.

